Why Your Data Cleanup Efforts Are Probably Failing

Data cleanup feels like the house chore everyone knows they should do—yet it rarely makes it to the top of the to-do list until something goes catastrophically wrong. You may have heard it explained in terms of storage costs, security, or operational efficiency. Those reasons are all valid, but they often overlook one critical point: data cleanup is just as much about people and process as it is about technology. 

In a recent Gimmal webinar, we invited industry expert Joe Shepley, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, to discuss the common pitfalls around data cleanup and share practical tips to help organizations succeed. Below are the key takeaways, along with insights to get your cleanup initiative on track. 

Table of Contents 

• The Trifecta: People, Process, and Technology
• Accountability vs. Responsibility 
• Securing Buy-In: The Power of the Steering Committee 
• Designing an Effective Process 
• Overcoming Cultural Barriers 
• Choosing the Right Technology 
• Looking Ahead: Beyond the Cleanup 

The Trifecta: People, Process, and Technology

“We tend to think that technology will resolve all things, and yes, technology plays a big part of that,” Gimmal’s Kim Tran explained. “But there’s also the reality and the trifecta of aligning people, process, and your technology solutions.”

For too long, data cleanup initiatives have focused primarily on technology—deploying bigger, better, or newer tools to find and delete ROT (redundant, obsolete, trivial) data. As Joe Shepley noted, technology today is sophisticated enough to handle large-scale data identification and classification. The real reason data cleanup fails is that organizations don’t address the people and process side of the issue.

Accountability vs. Responsibility

A big theme throughout the webinar was the importance of clarifying who is actually on the hook for data cleanup:

“If it’s past retention and there’s no preservation obligation, it needs to be deleted. There shouldn’t be a step for asking.” – Joe Shepley

Many organizations mistakenly believe they can make business end-users accountable for data cleanup. But in reality, General Counsel (GC) (or a similarly senior executive) has to sign off on potential risk areas—they are the ones “on the plane” answering to regulators, legal courts, or both if something goes wrong.

1. Identify true accountability: Typically, the GC or CISO will share ultimate accountability.
2. Define responsibility: Different teams (IT, Records, Privacy, Security, Business) execute the cleanup, but they do so knowing the GC or CISO is mandating the effort.
3. Communicate the stakes: Data breaches, regulatory fines, reputational harm—these outcomes hit executives and boards the hardest.

Designing an Effective Process

“What is the data? What’s our obligation to retain it? Are we past retention? Is there a legal hold? No? Delete.” – Joe Shepley

As simplistic as a four-step approach sounds, it works when your organization does the thinking up front, establishing consistent, unambiguous steps:

Identify

• Where is the data stored (file shares, structured databases, local devices, third-party systems)?
• What is the data?

Evaluate Retention Obligations

• What regulatory or business requirements determine how long we keep it?
• Are we certain that operationally we don’t need it longer?

 Check for Preservation (Legal Holds)

• Who verifies this and how? (Possibly a new or updated legal-hold process.)
• Is there any active or reasonably anticipated litigation hold?

Dispose

• If past all obligations, delete confidently, without needing to ask permission each time.

Yes, it truly can be that straightforward. But it hinges on the homework done before you kick off any mass deletion. The design process must include the right stakeholders and must produce easy-to-follow checklists so people aren’t making “before coffee” vs. “after coffee” decisions.

Choosing the Right Technology

The reason technology is last in the discussion? Because you need confidence in your process first. Once your process is set, seek out a solution that:

• Scans and classifies large volumes of data, structured and unstructured.
• Scales to your current volumes (and future growth).
• Fits your organizational workflows—especially around legal holds, retention schedules, and policy management.
• Collaborates seamlessly with your teams, offering transparency and user-friendly dashboards or reports.

“Be an educated buyer. Know what you’re trying to achieve. Collaborate with software partners to find a solution that fits your vision.” – Kim Tran

If you don’t know your use case, you risk buying shiny new tools that still don’t solve your real problems.

Ready to Get Started?

At Gimmal, we help organizations align the people, process, and technology needed to actually achieve defensible deletion and ongoing data management. Whether you’re dealing with legacy environments, complex email archives, or large volumes of structured data, our solutions and experts guide you step-by-step.

Want to see how it works in practice?

• Explore Gimmal’s platform to learn more about how we can help orchestrate your data cleanup.
• Join one of our upcoming user groups or webinars for real-world success stories and demos.
• Connect with our team to discuss how to tailor a cleanup approach for your organizational culture, legal requirements, and technical landscape.

Remember: Don’t wait until a regulatory breach, massive eDiscovery cost, or board-level crisis forces your hand. Take it from Joe Shepley’s years of advising Fortune 1000 companies: “We can’t just keep data forever. Regulators, judges, and cybersecurity threats are raising the stakes.”

It’s time to address why data cleanup fails. With clear accountability, genuine buy-in, well-designed processes, cultural alignment, and the right technology, you can ensure your next data cleanup initiative doesn’t just start—it succeeds.

“Progress, not perfection!” – Kim Tran

Interested in learning more? Reach out to Gimmal, browse our resources, or check out A&M’s blog, here.

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